Expert Immigration advice for individuals and businesses.
We pride ourselves on our specialization in Business immigration.
Key Service we offer to businesses and corporates:
A Sponsor Licence is required by UK employers or educational institutions who wish to sponsor foreign nationals, including international students or skilled workers, to come to the UK. With a valid sponsor licence, organizations can issue Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to students or Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) to employees. Tide Immigration provides expert guidance on obtaining and maintaining a UK Sponsor Licence, ensuring full compliance with Home Office regulations.
A Sponsor Licence Compliance Audit is an official review conducted to ensure that an organization holding a UK Sponsor Licence is meeting all Home Office requirements. This includes maintaining accurate records, monitoring sponsored individuals, and reporting any changes promptly. At Tide Immigration, we help educational institutions and employers prepare for these audits by reviewing internal systems, identifying compliance gaps, and providing tailored recommendations to avoid penalties or licence suspension.
Pre-Sponsor Licence Compliance involves reviewing an organisation’s systems and processes before applying for a UK Sponsor Licence to ensure they meet Home Office standards. This proactive step helps identify and fix any weaknesses in HR, record-keeping, and reporting practices. At Tide Immigration, we offer tailored pre-licence compliance checks to help businesses and educational institutions strengthen their readiness and improve their chances of a successful licence application.
Home Office Interview Training is designed to help visa applicants prepare for credibility interviews conducted by the UK Home Office. These interviews assess whether applicants are genuine students or workers and understand their chosen course, institution, funding, and future plans. At Tide Immigration, we provide one-on-one mock interviews and expert coaching to help you answer confidently and clearly, increasing your chances of visa approval.
Suspension and revocation of a Sponsor Licence occur when the Home Office finds that a sponsoring organisation has breached compliance duties or failed to meet immigration rules. Suspension may temporarily prevent the organisation from sponsoring new applicants, while revocation permanently removes the licence. At Tide Immigration, we provide expert legal support to help institutions and employers respond to compliance issues, challenge unfair decisions, and take corrective actions to protect their sponsorship status.
A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is a crucial document that UK employers must assign to foreign workers they wish to sponsor under the Skilled Worker or other visa routes. There are two types: Defined CoS for overseas applicants and Undefined CoS for those already in the UK. At Tide Immigration, we assist licensed sponsors with accurate and timely CoS applications, ensuring compliance with Home Office guidelines and helping businesses hire international talent efficiently.
A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) refusal can disrupt hiring plans and delay visa applications. If the Home Office refuses a CoS request, it’s essential to understand the reasons and respond appropriately. At Tide Immigration, we offer expert advice on challenging CoS refusals, whether through administrative review, appeal, or by correcting and resubmitting the application. Our legal team works to protect your sponsorship rights and ensure your business remains compliant and operational.
Delays in Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) applications can cause significant setbacks in hiring international staff or supporting visa applications. These delays may arise due to incomplete documentation, compliance issues, or Home Office backlogs. At Tide Immigration, we help employers and sponsors navigate such delays by identifying the cause, communicating with the Home Office when necessary, and ensuring all CoS applications are accurate and fully compliant to avoid unnecessary hold-ups.
SMS (Sponsor Management System) management is essential for maintaining your UK Sponsor Licence. It involves keeping sponsor records up to date, reporting changes such as employee start dates or visa status, and managing Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS). Proper use of the SMS is a key Home Office requirement. At Tide Immigration, we provide expert SMS management services, ensuring your records are compliant, accurate, and submitted on time to reduce the risk of licence suspension or revocation.
SMS Level 1 User Training is designed to equip designated staff with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively operate the UK Home Office’s Sponsor Management System (SMS). A Level 1 user is responsible for key tasks such as assigning Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS), updating sponsor details, and reporting changes to migrant status. At Tide Immigration, we offer tailored training sessions that ensure Level 1 users understand their responsibilities, maintain compliance, and confidently manage the sponsor licence obligations.
Employers holding a UK Sponsor Licence have strict sponsorship and record-keeping duties set by the Home Office. These include maintaining accurate records of sponsored workers, tracking absences, reporting job or salary changes, and ensuring visa conditions are met. At Tide Immigration, we provide expert advice to employers on how to meet these responsibilities, implement compliant HR systems, and avoid the risks of licence suspension or revocation through proactive guidance and ongoing support.
In cases of mergers, acquisitions, or takeovers, employers must carefully manage their Sponsor Licence obligations to remain compliant with UK immigration law. Under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment) regulations, sponsored workers may transfer to a new employer, but the Home Office must be properly notified, and sponsor records must be updated promptly. At Tide Immigration, we provide expert advice on handling these complex transitions, including reporting duties, licence transfers, and maintaining sponsorship continuity to avoid disruption to your workforce or immigration status.
Applying for a UK work visa can be a complex process that requires careful planning and compliance with Home Office regulations. At Tide Immigration, we assist employers and their international staff with employee visa applications, including Skilled Worker visas and other sponsored routes. Our team ensures each application is complete, accurate, and supported by the required documentation—helping your employees secure their visas smoothly and start work without unnecessary delays.
Advising sponsor licensee employers on leaves, absence and wages of the migrant workers:
UK sponsor licence holders have strict duties when it comes to managing leaves, absences, and wages of sponsored migrant workers. Employers must accurately record and report long-term absences, unpaid leave, changes in working hours, and any salary adjustments to the Home Office via the Sponsor Management System (SMS). At Tide Immigration, we provide tailored advice to ensure employers remain fully compliant with immigration rules, helping them avoid penalties and maintain their sponsor licence in good standing.
The Global Business Mobility (GBM) visa is a UK immigration route designed for overseas businesses looking to establish or support their UK presence. It includes five key subcategories: Senior or Specialist Worker, Graduate Trainee, UK Expansion Worker, Service Supplier, and Secondment Worker. Each route serves different business needs, from transferring senior staff to setting up a UK branch. At Tide Immigration, we advise companies on choosing the right GBM route, meeting sponsorship requirements, and preparing strong visa applications to support smooth and compliant business mobility into the UK.
Key Service we offer to individuals:
The Skilled Worker visa allows UK employers to sponsor international talent for eligible jobs that meet salary and skill thresholds. At Tide Immigration, we guide both employers and applicants through the sponsorship and visa process, ensuring compliance and a smooth relocation.
The Self-Sponsorship visa route enables entrepreneurs to start or manage a UK-based business without a traditional sponsor. We assist in setting up the business, securing a sponsor licence, and submitting a compliant Skilled Worker application to support your self-sponsored move.
The Innovator Founder visa is for experienced entrepreneurs with innovative, viable, and scalable business ideas endorsed by a UK-approved body. Tide Immigration supports you from business plan development to visa approval and ongoing compliance.
The Global Talent visa is aimed at leaders or promising individuals in fields like tech, academia, arts, and science. We help you navigate the endorsement process and build a strong application to secure entry to the UK without sponsorship.
This special category under the Skilled Worker route supports healthcare professionals joining the NHS or adult social care sector. Tide Immigration streamlines the application process for both sponsors and workers, reducing costs and processing times.
The UK Expansion Worker visa under the Global Business Mobility route allows overseas businesses to send staff to the UK to set up a new branch. We help ensure all sponsorship, documentation, and visa steps are handled accurately for smooth market entry.
The Graduate Route (Post-Study Work) visa lets international students stay in the UK for up to 2 years (or 3 for PhD holders) after completing an eligible UK degree. No sponsorship is needed. Tide Immigration helps you apply confidently to take advantage of post-study opportunities.
Dependant visas allow family members of UK visa holders to live, work, and study in the UK. We guide families through the eligibility, documentation, and visa application process, ensuring a smooth transition and compliance with immigration rules.
The Spouse visa lets non-UK partners of British citizens or settled persons join them in the UK. Tide Immigration assists with financial requirements, relationship evidence, and the application process to reunite families with confidence.
The Standard Visitor visa allows individuals to visit the UK for tourism, business meetings, or short courses for up to 6 months. We help you prepare a clear, well-documented application to improve your chances of approval.
The UK Student visa allows international students to study at recognised institutions. Tide Immigration helps applicants with CAS issuance, financial documents, and interview preparation to secure your visa with ease.
ILR offers permanent settlement in the UK after a qualifying residence period. We assess your eligibility and support you in compiling strong applications, including Life in the UK test and English language requirements.
Becoming a British citizen is the final step toward full integration. Tide Immigration provides expert support with naturalisation applications, ensuring you meet residence, good character, and documentation standards.
If you cannot afford visa or extension fees, a fee waiver application may allow you to apply without cost. We help assess your financial situation and prepare strong supporting evidence to increase your chances of success.
Further Leave to Remain (FLR) allows individuals to extend their stay in the UK when their current visa is due to expire. Whether you’re applying under a family, private life, or human rights route, Tide Immigration ensures your application is timely, well-documented, and meets all Home Office requirements, helping you maintain lawful status in the UK.
Children who have lived in the UK for seven continuous years may qualify for leave to remain under the private life route. The application must show it would be unreasonable to expect the child to leave the UK. Tide Immigration helps families prepare strong, child-focused applications that demonstrate deep ties and integration into British life.
The Ten-Year Private Life route offers a pathway to regularise immigration status for individuals who have spent significant time in the UK—especially those who’ve built their lives here. We help applicants prove long residence, community ties, and personal circumstances to meet the Home Office’s strict human rights criteria.
If returning to your home country would breach your right to private or family life under Article 8 of the ECHR, you may be eligible to apply to stay in the UK. Tide Immigration specialises in human rights-based applications, helping individuals and families build compelling cases based on their life and relationships in the UK.
The Adult Dependant Relative visa allows elderly parents or relatives of British citizens or settled persons to join them in the UK for long-term personal care. This is a high-threshold visa that requires strong evidence. Our team supports families in building compassionate, well-prepared applications to reunite loved ones.
Same-sex partners of British citizens or settled individuals can apply for visas under the same rules as opposite-sex couples. We provide inclusive, confidential, and respectful support to LGBTQ+ applicants in proving genuine relationships, cohabitation, and long-term commitment, with full guidance through the application process.
The EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) protects the rights of EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens and their family members living in the UK after Brexit. Tide Immigration assists with late applications, family permits, and the transition from pre-settled to settled status, ensuring applicants secure their legal rights and status in the UK.
Other Services offered by Tide Immigration
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On 24th January 2024, the Home Office announced via the Sponsor Management System (SMS) that all sponsor licences expiring on or after 6th April 2024 will be automatically extended for 10 years, removing the need for renewal. Consequently, no renewal application fees will be charged. Since this extension is automatic, organisations with licences expiring on or after that date need not take any action and can disregard any renewal requests.
FOR THE ATTENTION OF ALL SPONSORS WITH A LICENCE EXPIRY DATE ON OR AFTER 6TH APRIL 2024
From 6th April 2024, the requirement to renew your sponsor licence will be removed. If your licence is due to expire on or after this date, you will no longer need to apply for renewal or pay a renewal fee.
To implement this change, all licences expiring on or after 6th April 2024 have been automatically extended by 10 years.
You do not need to take any action.
If you have already received a renewal notification, please disregard it.
Under the current system, UK employers holding a sponsor licence must apply for renewal every four years before their licence expires to continue sponsoring overseas nationals legally. This recent policy change eliminates a significant administrative burden for employers, who already face challenges in recruiting and retaining skilled staff to meet their operational needs.
Additionally, it removes the requirement to pay the renewal application fee—£1,476 for most sponsors or £536 for small or charitable organisations.
Previously, the renewal process introduced uncertainty, as employers had to wait for a formal decision from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). Any refusal could severely impact their ability to sponsor overseas employees. By removing the renewal requirement, this policy change brings greater certainty and stability to the sponsorship process.
Despite recent policy changes, the imperative for strict sponsor licence compliance remains as critical as ever. The Home Office continues to intensify scrutiny on employer adherence to sponsorship duties, making it essential for organisations to maintain rigorous compliance in order to retain their sponsorship privileges. As a result, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) inspections—both scheduled and unannounced—are increasingly likely.
To ensure compliance, organisations must be consistently prepared to demonstrate that they:
Given UKVI’s commitment to routine and often unannounced compliance visits, businesses must remain perpetually prepared for inspection. Failure to satisfy UKVI officers during an assessment can lead to a downgrade to a B rating, suspension, or even revocation of the sponsor licence.
A proactive approach to compliance involves regular third-party audits, such as mock inspections conducted by experienced immigration solicitors. These audits simulate official UKVI assessments, allowing organisations to identify and address compliance gaps before they result in regulatory action. By proactively resolving deficiencies, businesses can strengthen their compliance posture, ensuring uninterrupted sponsorship operations and continued employment of overseas talent.
